


Envoi: Painting, Pillar-Boxes And Prostration (1913)

by Cerdic519



Series: Elementary 221B [293]
Category: Sherlock Holmes & Related Fandoms, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1910s, Caring, Cars, Destiel - Freeform, F/M, Family, Johnlock - Freeform, M/M, Retirement, Sussex, Writing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-28
Updated: 2019-03-28
Packaged: 2019-11-23 16:25:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18154226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cerdic519/pseuds/Cerdic519
Summary: ֍ The shadow of war looms ever larger but life goes on. Two of the idjits godsons are doing well for themselves while their friend Valiant Henriksen has his twentieth – TWENTIETH! - and last child. A day at the races ends badly for one woman and Sherlock uses his money to ensure that there is really only one Casdene.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [vitabear](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vitabear/gifts).



**1913**

_[Narration by Doctor John Watson, M.D. (retired)]_

This year began with the dreadful news that Captain Robert Falcon Scott's brave bid to become the first man to reach the South Pole had not only failed but had cost the lives of him and his fellow adventurers. And I remember being horrified by an advertisement for the new Morris Oxford† 'auto-mobile' (they were also being called 'cars' now, short for horseless carriages I supposed) which it was claimed could reach speeds of fifty miles per hour. And I did not as some blue-eyed genius claim go on about it _ad infinitum_. 

I did not!

In spring we had a welcome visit from our godsons Valdus and Vulcan Henriksen, both then twenty-four and handsome young men who had done their father Valiant proud. Sherlock's godson Valdus had indeed followed his prodigious father into the local constabulary while my godson Vulcan had sort of followed my direction and was in his final year of training to be a veterinarian. Their father was much as ever, and he and his wife had incredibly just had their _twentieth_ (and as it turned out likely to Mrs. Henriksen's relief, last) child who had been named Vladimir. Their father was fifty at this time and seemingly bent on repopulating his native Westmorland in person!

֍

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> † Commonly called 'the Bullnose' because of its distinctive front, it generated 16 BHP (in comparison a modern Smart car has four times as much) and was priced at £175. A 1913 teacher earned on average around £380 per year, so the deluxe version at £195 was exactly half a year's salary for them.


	2. Chapter 2

**1913**

_[Narration by Doctor John Watson, M.D. (retired)]_

“This Balkan War is bad”, I sighed as I read the paper one fine May Day. “They are saying that it could drag in the whole Continent if people are not careful.”

“People will always want self-determination”, Sherlock said. “But unfortunately they do not live in nice neat packages, so many countries lay claim to the lands of others because a few people of their own culture live just across the border, like Germany did over Alsace and Lorraine last century. And then you have those who want to start new nations, yet seem as bigoted and inflexible as those already in the game.”

I sighed. The Continent was one huge mess, and seemed set to stay as much. Foreigners!

“On the plus side”, Sherlock said, “Bacchus has volunteered to go out there.”

I was surprised at that.

“I did not know he was an expert on the politics of that region”, I said.

“Apparently he committed some _faux pas_ at home and Mother suggested that he translate all her latest works”, Sherlock grinned. “In a choice between facing a horde of ravaging Slavs and Mother's literary efforts, there was only ever going to be one winner!”

֍


	3. Chapter 3

**1913**

_[Narration by Doctor John Watson, M.D. (retired)]_

The summer of that year was of course marked by the strange and tragic case of the suffragette Miss Emily Davison, who threw herself in front of the king's horse Anmer during the Derby. Quite why she sacrificed herself in this was remained a mystery; it only hardened attitudes against her cause which had also not been helped by the frankly inexplicable decision of her fellow campaigners to start attacking pillar boxes! 

The Continent was still a mess, the Balkan War having ended and, everyone having been dissatisfied with the resultant peace, had gone and led to a Second Balkan War! And then there were the ongoing troubles over Ireland with the Commons trying to pass Home Rule and the Lords repeatedly blocking it. What with one thing and another I was glad that Sherlock and I were away from it all in our own little corner of England.

֍


	4. Chapter 4

**1913**

_[Narration by Doctor John Watson, M.D. (retired)]_

Casdene lay on a road running from the Lewes road southwards towards the beautiful Downs. The narrow and winding road continued south to what later became a small car park on top of the Downs and then skirted a golf-club before reaching the sea east of Newhaven. There was also a ford about a mile along and this was one of Sherlock's favourite spots to do his painting, the only usual sign of life being the farm by the ford. However that warm October day we went there as per usual and found that the place was up for sale. The owners Mr. and Mrs. Saddleworth told us that they were retiring and might sell the place to some developers.

“Which could mean a whole new village”, Sherlock said looking concerned. “There used to be a small village called Casdene St. Andrew there in the Middles Ages before – the chapel still exists inside the farm grounds - and like Martinsthorpe back in Rutlandshire, it too was depopulated to make way for sheep. Because of that the council is much more likely to allow building on it again. They might even replace the ford with a bridge and widen the road across the Downs, which would mean a lot more traffic in our own village.”

I was disappointed because this was one of our favourite spots for Sherlock to paint, for me to watch him until he looked at me, smiled that smile and..... well, what else were barns for?

Fortunately there are advantages to having money and influence. Sherlock was able to buy the farm himself and limit the restored Casdene St. Andrew to two sets of terraced houses. Which as things turned out would be very useful.

֍


End file.
